PA Department of Human Services approves HTHC as a medical provider certification option for application of TFV (in addition to Smiles for Life).

07/31/2012
July

HTHC Submits Implementation Grant to DQF

HTHC submits proposal to the DentaQuest Foundation for an implementation grant to continue and expand oral health training to medical providers across Pennsylvania, as well as further develop the program into a centralized organization of oral health advocates that facilitate collaboration and network building among key stakeholders throughout the state.

St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children begins implementing oral health services after all pediatric attendings and residents receive HTHC training.

05/01/2014
May

USPSTF Recommends Fluoride Varnish For Children

United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that primary care clinicians apply fluoride varnish to the primary teeth of all infants and children starting at the age of primary tooth eruption (Grade B Recommendation).

11/01/2014
November

Collective Impact Initiative Proposal Submitted

HTHC/PA AAP submits proposal to the DentaQuest Foundation to support the formation of a collective impact initiative in Pennsylvania with partner organizations Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health (PCOH), Pennsylvania Head Start Association (PHSA) and Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC).

Commercial insurers must be compliant with USPSTF recommendation regarding TFV application, reimbursing for this service using CPT code 99188.

08/01/2015
August

EPIC Oral Health in the Prenatal Office Launched

EPIC Oral Health in the Prenatal Office curriculum developed and training begin.

09/01/2015
September

TFV Billing Procedures Simplified With CPT Code 99188

PA Department of Human Services begins using CPT code 99188 for the application of TVF, eliminating the D1206 code and simplifying billing procedures.

10/31/2015
October

Oral Health Literacy Community Engagement Kit Launched

HTHC Oral Health Literacy Community Engagement Kit developed.

12/31/2015
December

Oral Health Story Kits Launched

HTHC Oral Health Story Kits developed. Implementation at public libraries and with university partners begin.

02/25/2016
February

HTHC Promoted by PA Department of Human Services

PA Department of Human Services promotes HTHC as an approved certification option for application of TFV.

05/01/2016
May

HTHC Oral Health Story Kit Expansion Begins

About Healthy Teeth Healthy Children

Healthy Teeth Healthy Children (HTHC), a program of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (PA AAP), is a state-wide educational program focused on improving oral health care for children by providing education to primary care providers, expanding oral health literacy for the community and facilitating integrative partnerships that enhance the overall health of children andfamilies in PA.

Through the EPIC (Educating Physicians in the Community) model, HTHC delivers free on-site training across the state to pediatric and prenatal clinicians, medical residents and students through two programs:

Our EPIC content can be adapted for remote delivery and our Oral Health Through the Lifespan webinar is available as a free, on-demand resource for provider practices and as a tool for oral health curriculum integration at medical training programs. This course addresses the impact of dental disease throughout several life stages including pregnancy, childhood, middle age and senior adulthood and shows how medical-dental integration contributes to comprehensive and high-quality care for all patients.

In addition to supporting physicians, HTHC is dedicated to educating community members on the importance of oral health to overall health and has launched a variety of oral health literacy programs, including:

Oral Health Community Engagement Kits for university programs and clubs to promote and support oral health community outreach and service learning opportunities; and

Oral Health Story Kits providing basic oral health education to libraries that encourage good oral health habits for children and families in their community. As of June 30, 2018, 29 District Library Centers and over 550 individual public libraries across all 67 counties in PA had received these resources.

HTHC is developing new community-based projects that strategically engage local agencies and organizations to expand community-wide oral health education and establish sustainable local oral health networks.

Partners

HTHC is a proud partner in the PA Oral Health Collective Impact Initiative, part of the Oral Health For All 2020 Initiative sponsored by the DentaQuest Foundation.

To see what the collective initiative has been focused on, please watch our impact video (right). To join the statewide movement to improve oral health in Pennsylvania, visit www.paoralhealth.org to learn more.

In 2016, 42 Oral Health in Your Office presentations were conducted, training over 500 medical provider personnel. During those training sessions, over 79% of participants indicated a high likelihood of applying fluoride varnish to children under age 5 as a result of the presentation, and 88% of participants said they were likely to teach good oral health habits to families in their practices.

Resources

Educational Materials:Please feel free to print these materials or request copies by contacting HTHC at hthc@paaap.org.

Provider Resources:The following information is designed to help medical providers implement oral screening, risk assessment, fluoride varnish application and referral in their practice. For further questions, please contact HTHC at hthc@paaap.org.

Click HERE for customized PA resources from the AAP Tiny Teeth campaign, including information for pregnant women and new moms on the importance of oral healthcare for themselves and their babies. Visit www.aap.org/tinyteeth for more information.

“HTHC and its core leadership team have the honor of working with so many committed oral health advocates across the state. Our collective efforts are resulting in a cohesive message for change, leveraging our collective voices for quality oral health access for all Pennsylvanians.”

- Suzanne Yunghans, Former Executive Director, PA Chapter AAP -

“Fluoride varnish and twice daily brushing saved the teeth (and probably the life) of a 22 month old child with an immune deficiency associated with ectodermal dysplasia, who had a brain abscess, and sepsis from dental caries. At age 8 he has all his teeth and no cavities!”

- Eve Kimball, MD -

"Now that we know how to examine the teeth and identify oral health problems at an early stage, we can prevent small dental problems from turning into big, painful ones. Using fluoride varnish is so easy, and the parents are so appreciative."

- TJ Maroon, MD -

“Since beginning risk assessment, examination of teeth, fluoride varnish application, education, and referral to dentist in 2008 our Medicaid dental visits have increased from <48% to 67% and monetary compensation from MCO "pool" has been forthcoming!”

- Eve Kimball, MD -

“As part of the efforts to improve the percentage of MA-enrolled children who receive a preventive dental service during the year, the education of health professionals (physicians, dentists and their respective support staff) and caregivers (parents, and child care professionals) has been a significant focus. A major source of stakeholder support for OMAP in these efforts has been the PA Oral Health Collective Impact Initiative partners [including the PA AAP Healthy Teeth Healthy Children program]. Their efforts, particularly focused on the youngest enrollees (ages 1-5) have been most helpful in affecting utilization rates in a historically underutilizing population stratum.”

“The [Oral Health in Your Office] presentation today was excellent! The presenter provided valuable information succinctly but thoroughly, and every staff member from secretary to physician came away from the session with a significantly increased knowledge of oral hygiene in infants and children.”

- Dr. Robert W. Childs, MD -

“Thank you so much for coming to Project HOME and giving the [Oral Health in the Prenatal Office] presentation today. The team has been commenting all afternoon on how informative and engaging it was. In an office where everyone always feels so busy with a number of tasks to work on all the time, it was great to hear from the team that they felt the presentation was a really great use of their time and they really enjoyed learning all the information. What a great resource you are providing! You’ve really motivated our team to work more on medical/dental integration.”

Oral Health Story Kit: A Free Resource for PA Public Libraries

Children’s story time resource around the theme of good oral health for children, including high-quality books, coordinated craft and activity suggestions, parent information and engagement materials. Kits are being distributed by district across the state as program funding allows. To request a free kit for your library, please complete the following information:

Stay In Touch

This website is a publication of PA AAP and is intended to be a forum for information and communication among the PA AAP membership, individuals and groups interested in the health and well-being of children. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the electronic documents and resources provided on this website. However,the PA AAP makes no warranties, expressed or implied, regarding errors or omissions and assumes no legal liability or responsibility for loss or damage resulting from the use of information contained within.